DOUBLE-VALVED VARIABLE PRESSURE DEVICE FOR HYDROCEPHALY

Abstract: A double-valved variable pressure device for hydrocephaly, made up by a vertical capsule (1), whose sloped ends (2) end in upper (3) and lower (4) coupling sectors, proper for connection of a proximal (5) and a distal (6) catheter, which constitute input and output for the cephalo-rachidian liquid, through the body or capsule (1), where said liquid or volume has its pressure controlled by means of two valves (13 and 17), which maintain the drained volume constant, along a wide range of pressures the device is submitted to.

Description: This Patent of Invention relates to a Double-valvβd variable pressure device for Hydrocephaly, or more particularly to technical and functional improvements specially developped in view of featuring specific 05. improvements to the operation of a valve for hydrocephaly used under medical conditions demanding the removal of cephalo-rachidian liquid out of the central nervous system, so proceeding in an attempt to maintain the intracranial pressure stable and proper. 10. As already known by the specialists in this area, there are currently numberless types of apparatus for the above purpose, although they have in most cases only one valved element and, accordingly, the control of outflow and the cephalo-rachidian liquid pressure are solely and 15. exclusively dependent on the perfect operation of only one valve, so implying some inconvenients, among which ve point out: a) the proper relationship between the volume of drained liquid and the intracranial pressure is not managed; b) they produce the phenomenum of hyperdrainage 20. (the syphon effect), with important medical complications, that are strongly described in the specialized literature. In view of the aforementioned inconvenients, and in order to overcome them, this DOUBLE-VALVED VARIABLE 25. PRESSURE DEVICE was conceived, wherein the cephalo- rachidian pressure and the outflow control are achieved by two valves, so translating a new operational concept, i.e., a first valvular element determines the system's outflow until a given "minor" pressure, i.e., the 30. intracranial pressure, propagated by means of the liquid means into the device, exerting a closing force on the first valve and, accordingly, the higher the pressure at this part of the device, the higher will be the closing of this valve, until it is fully closed, time on which the intracranial pressure is released through a second valve that, such as the former one, permits the liquid to 05. be properly drained and, this "higher" pressure being stopped, the second valve will mandatorily closed, while the first one returns to its former "open" stage, where the cycle is once again repeated, so implying a number of technical and practical advantages, among which: a) no 10. hyperdrainage phenomenum is allowed; b) the outflow permitted by the system is directly related to the intracranial pressure the patient is submitted to; c) the system is continuously self-adjustable by means of two valves; d) the cephalo-rachidian liquid pressure and 15. outflow do not depend just on a valve system, but rather on two balanced systems, which renders possible to have a more precise and proper control to each patient. In order to provide a better understanding of this patent of invention, a detailed description thereof is 20. made below, making reference to the attached drawings, wherein the single figure represents a perspective view, making outstand all the internal and external constructive details of this device. According to this illustration and its details, 25. this DOUBLE-VALVED VARIABLE PRESSURE DEVICE FOR HYDROCEPHALY is made up by a frame in the shape of a non- deformable material capsule (1), practically in vertical cylindrical shape, whose sloped ends (2) end up in upper coupling sectors (3) and lower sectors (4), proper for 30. the connection of a proximal (5) and distal (4) catheter, which constitute the input and output for the cephalo- rachidian liquid, through the body or capsule (1) , which, in turn, is featured by the fact that it is internally provided with two anullar sectors, a lower (7) one and an upper (8) one, both of them made of rigid and undeformable material, where the lower ring is the type 05. forming a waterproof closing through a flange (9), having its outer diameter integrated to the capsule wall (1), while its inner diameter is integrated with an upward vertical tubular short sector (10) that, in turn, is coaxially aligned with another similar sector with lower lo. diameter (11), also integrated to a flange (12), although in this case the flange presents several openings (12A), i.e., it is connected to the capsule wall (1) through a number of radial extensions (12B) and, also, its inner diameter presents a double-wall configuration (12C) to be 15. closed and involve a second valve, in the form of a complacent disc (13), with a cross-centered view (14), while the first valve is defined by a tubular element made in resilient material (15), whose inner diameter is relatively equal to the external diameter of the upper 20. coupling sector (11), which does not happen with the lower coupling sector (10), since this latter presents a diameter substantially larger than the inner diameter of the tube (15) , so providing this latter an elastic deformation (16) , where said complacent tube (15) 25. presents a lengthwise slot (17), which is maintained open thanks to said deformation, since at this point tension forces appear at the complacent tube wall (15) , with the consequent opening of said slot (17) , and finally both valves define two chambers for the cephalo-rachidian 30. liquid, one of them being defined as a retention and control chamber (18) and an outflow chamber (19). The operation of the device so described is extremely simple, i.e., the intraventricul.ar liquid reaches the inner section of the capsule through the proximal catheter (5) and floods the first chamber (18). Under these conditions, the first outflow via for the 05. cephalo-rachidian liquid is defined through the slot (17), wherein said tension forces permit the lengthwise slot to remain open and, consequent-ly, the cephalo- rachidian liquid outflows into chamber (19) under control, and so said slot (17), which in accordance with lo. its area determines the effect of the system's outflow adjusting valve, since the intracranial pressure, propagated through the liquid means into the chamber (18) exerts a closing force on the tube wall (15) , with the resulting variation in the slot area. This variation of 15. area is inversely proportional to the loss of system's load, the flow being kept constant under the several pressures the system might be subject to, although, if said pressure reaches a maximum level, the slot (17) is fatally closed in full, time on which the second valve 20. (13) starts operating and, this way, the cephalo- rachidian liquid also outflows to chamber (19), until said pressure falls again to such an extent to open the slot (17) and close the second valve again, time on which the operational cycle is started once again, with no risk 25. of appearing the phenomenum of hyperdrainage. Finally, the cephalo-rachidian liquid resulting from the valvular system is drained by the distal catheter (6) , which is applied into a biological cavity or an external area, according to the preference and 30. professional experience of the physician using this prothesis.

Claims: CLAIMS 1) A DOUBLE-VALVED VARIABLE PRESSURE DEVICE FOR HYDROCEPHALY, made up by a frame in the form of a a capsule made with non-deformable material (1) , 05. practically in vertical cylindrical shape, whose sloped ends (2) end in upper (3)and lower (4) coupling sectors, proper for connection to the proximal (5) and distal (6) catheter, which make up the input and output for the cephalo-rachidian liquid, through the body or capsule ιo. (l), which, in turn, is featured by the fact that it is internally provided with two anular sectors, a lower (7) and an upper (8) one, both of them in rigid and non- deformable material, where the lower ring is a type forming a waterproof closing through a flange (9), having 15. its external diameter integrated with the capsule wall (1), while its inner diameter is integrated to an upward vertical tubular short sector (10) which, in turn, is coaxially aligned with another similar sector, with lower diameter (11), also integrated to a flange (12), but in 20. this case presenting a number of openings (12A), i.e., it is linked to the capsule wall (1), through several radial extensions (12B) and also, its inner diameter presents a double-wall configuration (12C) to be closed and involve a second valve, in the form of a resilient disc (13) , 25. with a cross-centered view (14), while the first valve is defined by a tubular element, in resilient material (15) , whose inner diameter is relatively equal to the external diameter of the upper coupling sector (11), unlike the lower coupling sector (10), since this latter presents a 30. diameter substantially larger than the inner diameter of the tube (15), so attributing to this latter an elastic deformation (16), where said resilient tube (15) presents a longitudinal slot (17) , which is kept open thanks to said deformation, since tension forces appear at the resilient tube walls at this point (15), with the resulting opening in said slot (17) so that, finally, 05. both valves define two chambers for the cephalo-rachidian liquid, one of them defined as a retaining and control chamber (18) and an outflow chamber (19).

Inventors: PAES NEWTON, PAES, NEWTON
Applicants: PAES NEWTON, PHOENIX BIOMEDICAL CORP, PAES, NEWTON, PHOENIX BIOMEDICAL CORP.
Application year: 1994
Main classification: A61M1
IPC codes: A61M1, A61M25, A61M27, F16K17